


Keen Sight Isn't Exclusive to Hawks (or Hawkeye)

by mizface



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-06 11:25:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3132698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/pseuds/mizface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Coulson is a man who likes to make lists. This comes as a surprise to exactly no one who's ever met him. But not all of his lists are public knowledge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keen Sight Isn't Exclusive to Hawks (or Hawkeye)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hazelwho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazelwho/gifts).



> This is an auction fic requested by my amazing braintwin, Hazelwho. She followed me into this fandom and pairing, and when she saw I'd _finally_ written something for it, she was quick to request another fic.
> 
> I consider this a companion piece to [Phil(o)sophy](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1402081).

Phil Coulson is a man who likes to make lists. This comes as a surprise to exactly no one who's ever met him. But not all of his lists are public knowledge. One of the most private ones has to do with Clint Barton. Not that anyone who knows Clint would be surprised by any of it, but Phil keeps it to himself just the same.

 

**1\. Clint doesn't like water.**

Correction - he doesn't like _large bodies_ of water. The man seems to live for water pistol fights, and don't even get Phil started about the length of time Clint takes in the shower.

So water in general is fine, but he won't go into a lake or ocean or even a pool voluntarily. It's not like he can't swim - he couldn't be a SHIELD agent without knowing how. But that doesn't mean he likes it. He isn't phobic - again, see SHIELD agent requirements - but you'll never find him swimming as a recreational activity. Walking along the shore looking for interesting shells, yes. Skipping stones an astounding number of times at a still lake, sure. Maybe even lounging by a pool, reading whatever trashy novel's caught his interest. But getting him in the water is another thing entirely. 

 

 **2\. Clint is a frighteningly healthy eater.**

Of the two of them, Phil is definitely the junk food junkie. Clint's favorite snacks are, in fact, raw fruits and veggies. Phil's heard him refer to grape tomatoes as candy more than once.

Clint isn't a snob about it or anything, and he's certainly happy to eat a good burger and fries, but they aren't his first choice. He's never said it, but Phil is fairly certain it's due in no small part to the lack of anything fresh growing up. But since Clint doesn't talk about it, Phil doesn't either. He does, however, make sure to keep whatever's in season on hand at home, and there are packets of sunflower seeds and mixed nuts in his desk drawer. They look surprisingly right next to his stash of emergency mini-donuts and Cheetos.

Even if there were rules against fraternization, Phil's pretty sure his doctor would override them, saying having Clint in his life, making sure he ate food that wasn't over-processed or all empty calories, was a medical necessity.

 

**3\. Clint has an amazing poker face for everything except, ironically, poker.**

Phil has no idea why, because on the job, he's seen Barton bluff and bluster his way out of situations that should have gotten him killed, and on one memorable occasion, stare down a nearly murderous Nick Fury. He can con and cajole as easily as breathing. But put cards in his hand, and it's (pun grudgingly intended) game over. Phil's almost embarrassed for him - Clint's _tells_ have tells. And while his “resting face” may fool some, it’s never worked on Phil.

He's never said anything to Clint about it, as it's never come up in a mission. And if he's used that intel to his own advantage... well, if you were playing strip poker with Clint Barton, wouldn't you?

 

**4\. As bad as Clint is at cards, he's amazing at word games.**

Fill in the blanks, jumbles, crossword puzzles - you name it. Clint likes to say he's just a "dumb ex-carny with decent aim", but Phil knows college professors with lesser vocabularies. He learned the hard way not to play Scrabble with Clint unless he was prepared to lose badly. If pressed, Clint will say that maybe it's just another facet of his good eyes, helping him to see the big picture, fill in the blanks.

Watching Stark's reaction as Clint neatly trounced him at Words with Friends is one of Phil's treasured memories.

 

**5\. Clint is very particular about his clothes.**

Agent Barton? Not so much. When he's on a mission, Barton understands the need to roll with the punches, take what's offered. He may complain about it (really, there's no _may_ about it), but he'll wear what he has to for missions. Clint, however, is a different story.

If the shirt Clint is wearing is too small, it's on purpose. Worn, frayed jeans are a deliberate choice. The colors and styles he chooses are because he likes them, not to blend in, or take what's left over, or on clearance. No hand-me-downs, no making do. Not any more.

Phil does his best to make sure it stays that way.

 

 **+1. Clint takes care of his things.**

This really isn't a secret. Agent Barton's care of his bow is legendary within SHIELD. But most don't realize that it carries over to his personal items. Possibly because he doesn't have too many of them; years of being on the run, after a childhood where he barely had anything he could call his own, mean Clint isn't big on ownership. So the few things he feels moved to keep, he protects and cherishes.

Phil will be forever grateful to be on that list.


End file.
